EBG Rating: 8.7/10

Choice/Quality of Drinks:
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Excellent, keeping up with the times in its offer of beers from North Eastern Italy and Slovenia, with the classic Belgians and Germans playing their role too. UK beer also gets a look in and they have beer engines set at the bar.

Style/Décor:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Enter a pubby space with low ceiling, niches with chunky tables and lamp-light. The bar is in front of the entrance with tables off it, with a back-room extension for further options.

Atmosphere/Character:
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Homely and tavern like, unfussy, friendly, social and casual.

Amenities/Events:
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Food, snacks, board games, limited outdoor space.

Value For Money:
❤️❤️
High prices reflect an uncompromising attitude to seeking out top quality produce. There could perhaps be a little more leniency, loss-leaders and special offers.

Description:
Mastro Birraio is one of Italy’s forerunners of specialist beers, taking the initiative in the 1980s to expose and, over time educate and familiarise locals, Italians and visitors with the complexity, breadth, depth and charm of different beer styles from across the world.

Spin on to the present day, the pub is a veritable fixture of Trieste’s social scene, not only vaunted for its high quality beer offerings but as a successful, friendly venue with a great atmosphere.

Peculiarly, its original owner moved on to professional athletics, but the baton was passed to Daniele Stepancich in 2010 who has been running the show since, up until this review was written.

Set in the hills of Cittavecchia overlooking the city centre, a web of off-centre streets and sharp turns seems to add to the impression as you enter a pubby space with low ceiling, niches with chunky tables and lamp-light, designed to be homely and tavern like, unfussy and casual.

The beer selection is indeed excellent, keeping up with the times in its offer of beers from North Eastern Italy and Slovenia, with the classic Belgians and Germans playing their role too. UK beer also gets a look in.

They offer food from a modest menu which is designed to supplement the beer rather than the other way around, and it doesn’t dominate.

The welcome is good and it is one of the pubs abroad where I have truly felt the similarity to, for example, wandering in to a cosy old smugglers den type pub on the English coast.

An absolute must.

(Added October 2025)